Editorial: Alcohol limits still too high

OPINION: The changes to drink driving laws, announced by the Government yesterday, are a package of sensible measures let down by the bizarre decision to leave the legal alcohol limit for adult drivers unchanged.

The measures, including a zero drink drive limit for recidivist offenders and drivers under 20, tougher penalties for serious driving offences causing death, and the introduction of alcohol interlocks for repeat drink-drivers, will receive broad public support.

But it seems lowering the drink driving limit for adults – one of the highest in the world – would have upset too many of National's rural voters, and the Government backed down.

To explain the Government's reluctance, Transport Minister Steven Joyce said: "It's important that we have a very broad level of support for the changes that we make because it's a very democratic place, the road."

What that translates to is: "We are a strong Government that will do the right thing by the people of New Zealand – as long as it doesn't cost us too many votes."

Clearly, there was some stiff opposition around the Cabinet table to lowering the limit, and it was perhaps politically prudent for the Government to defer a decision on the issue (until after next year's election, notably).

New Zealand's internationally high drink driving limit needs to be lowered because it tells people they can "have a few" and still be able to legally drive.

The problem with that is people who aren't sure whether they are over the limit are required to make that assessment while under the influence of alcohol.

If it was lower, people could judge with more certainty whether they were over the legal limit and, inevitably, fewer people would run the risk.

While increasing penalties for offenders was warranted, lowering the legal drink driving limit would have targeted the offending before it occurred.

The Government should be encouraging people to make make good choices, not simply increasing the penalties for making poor ones.

However, the Government should be commended for taking some significant strides in the right direction. The proposed changes will save lives on our roads – just not as many as they could have.

ONE MORE THING

It's been a rocky few weeks for the Feilding community, with yet another tragedy striking the town yesterday when two women were killed in a mid-air plane collision.

It happened just metres from where farmer Scott Guy was gunned down in his driveway earlier this month.

With another serious plane crash nearby a couple of weeks ago, we're all hoping bad things really do happen in threes and Feilding is spared any more trauma.

- © Fairfax NZ News